Cicada COVID Variant Spreads in US

0:00It's March 26, El Paso News Today starts now, AI-powered and ready. A highly-mutated COVID variant called BA.3.2, nicknamed cicada, is showing up across the United States. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention spotted it in routine checks, including nasal swabs from travelers, airplane wastewater, patient, samples, and wastewater from 25 states like Texas and California. Here this week, officials noted it's steadily climbing in U.S. cases, though it hasn't dominated yet. Globally, it's hit 23 countries, making up to 30 percent of infections in some spots. This variant first emerged in South Africa back in November 2024, with the initial U.S. traveler case in June 2025, and the first patient diagnosis in January. Experts say its name comes from cicadas that stay hidden underground for years before surfacing. Those match other COVID strains, like runny nose, headache, fatigue, sore throat, and cough,

1:02with an incubation period of two to 14 days. So far, no big spikes in severe illness have entied to it. The CDC keeps tracking through wastewater and surveillance, so we'll hear more as cases trend. Keep an eye on local updates and test if you feel off.